Apple sells two audio system–the HomePod and HomePod mini–however there are many various kinds of audio system that work with iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV on the market to select from that might provide higher worth for cash.
There’s plenty of alternative with the audio system on this spherical up providing all kinds of options, specs, designs and value tags. However we’re right here to information you thru the complexity and assist you discover the perfect speaker for optimum efficiency along with your Mac and iOS units.
We take a look at a wide range of audio system together with multi-room speaker techniques, that are extra widespread than ever–particularly as cellular units just like the iPhone and iPad permit us to hold our complete music library from room to room, or connect with music streaming companies similar to Spotify, Apple Music or Amazon Prime Music with a fast faucet.
Apple customers are greatest off getting a speaker with AirPlay help, and all of the audio system on this check provide AirPlay 2 help. We clarify what AirPlay is and the options it brings afterward on this article.
We’ve examined out among the greatest audio system you should purchase to make use of along with your Apple merchandise under, so learn on to seek out out which AirPlay audio system are greatest.
Greatest audio system for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV
HomePod mini
We’re placing the HomePod mini within the high spot on the idea of its low price ticket, wonderful sound high quality and deep integration with Apple’s software program ecosystem – so long as you don’t thoughts being tied to Siri.
The HomePod mini can’t match the bass punch of the full-size HomePod, however the output continues to be much better than we’ve got any proper to anticipate at this dimension and value. (Simply to reiterate, it’s a 3rd of the value and a seventh of the load of its bigger sibling.)
For jazz, rock and classical we have been blown away by its clear, wealthy sound. And whereas it’s not fairly obtained the welly to deafen your neighbors with home music at 3 am, it does fill a room fantastically – particularly when teamed with a second mannequin as a stereo pair.
Learn our full
Apple HomePod mini evaluate
Apple HomePod (2nd era, 2023)
Value When Reviewed:
$299
Should you’re deep within the Apple ecosystem and also you admire high quality audio, that is the good speaker for you: it would play your music fantastically and make TV watching a delight.
As with the HomePod mini, ease of setup is considered one of its strongest options–plug within the HomePod and wave an iPhone vaguely in its path and an onscreen popup (on the telephone) will invite you to set it up. If there’s one other HomePod of the identical mannequin within the chosen room, you’ll be given the choice to hitch them as a stereo pair.
It sounds nice whether or not used as a single unit, or as a stereo pair, and it’s an important accompaniment to your Apple TV because it helps Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio (the HomePod mini doesn’t). To seek out out extra, learn extra about how the HomePod compares to the HomePod mini.
The primary disadvantages of the 2023 HomePod are the excessive value (3 times that of the HomePod mini) and the frustrations related to being reliant on Siri to regulate it. We actually need a HomePod with a display.
Learn our full
Apple HomePod (2nd era, 2023) evaluate
Roku Streambar
Value When Reviewed:
$129.99
Roku is well-known for its vary of streaming media units, which supply an inexpensive various to Apple’s personal Apple TV field. Nevertheless, the Roku Streambar goes a step additional by combining streaming options with a compact soundbar speaker and help for Apple’s AirPlay 2 – and all for a extremely aggressive $129.99/£129.99.
The AirPlay help and built-in dual-band Wi-Fi imply which you could merely use the Streambar as a standard AirPlay speaker, utilizing AirPlay to stream music by way of Wi-Fi from any Apple machine. It’s surprisingly highly effective for such a compact speaker, and greater than loud sufficient for taking part in music at house or watching just a few Hollywood blockbusters. It even offers fairly good bass too, touchdown the bass guitar and crashing drums on Kate Bush’s The Massive Sky with actual influence (and Roku has lately introduced a brand new vary of wi-fi audio system that additionally help AirPlay 2, though we’ve not had the prospect to check these but).
Going past fundamental speaker mode, you may also use the HDMI port on the again of the Streambar to attach it to a TV or pc show, and this lets you stream video at as much as 4K decision out of your Apple units as nicely. You may even eliminate your Apple units altogether, and simply use the Streambar’s built-in streaming options to attach your TV or pc monitor to a variety of video companies–together with Apple TV+, Netflix, Disney+ and so forth. It additionally helps various music streaming companies too, similar to Apple Music and Spotify.
Admittedly, the low price of the Streambar implies that it does lack just a few superior options, similar to help for Dolby Atmos, which you will get from Apple’s HomePod and likewise the Apple TV 4K. However, after all, the Apple TV field doesn’t embody a speaker, and the Streambar’s low-cost mixture of AirPlay speaker and music and video streaming options makes it an absolute cut price at this value.
Sonos Period 100
Value When Reviewed:
$249.00
When Sonos first launched the Period 100 it was positioned as a mid-range possibility that sat between the entry-level Sonos One and the imposing Period 300 with Dolby Atmos on the high quality. Nevertheless, the veteran Sonos One quietly light away just a few months in the past and the Period 100 has taken over as the brand new entry level for the Sonos vary of multi-room audio system, with a $249/£249 price ticket that makes it various to the Apple HomePod at £299/$299.
At first look, the Period 100 does look similar to the unique Sonos One, with an upright cylindrical design that’s out there in black or white. It’s barely bigger than the Sonos One, although, standing 182.5mm excessive, 120mm huge and 130mm deep. This permits the Period 100 to squeeze in an extra high-frequency tweeter, in order that it now homes two tweeters which might be angled out to the correct and left to unfold sound extra broadly than the Sonos One. It additionally features a bigger woofer than the Sonos One, to deal with the mid-range and bass and add a bit additional energy as nicely.
This new design works a deal with and the Period 100 offers excellent sound high quality for a comparatively compact speaker. The atmospheric harmonies of Enya’s Orinoco Circulation have a light-weight, shimmering sound, however the compact speaker has obtained some muscle too, and is well in a position to fill the room round me with Enya’s swirling cloud of sound. The dual tweeters present a crisp, clear sound for the digital loops that fly via the air, however that bigger woofer also can attain down and embrace the gradual bass pulse and rumbling drums that enter as Enya’s multi-tracked vocals chant – “turn it up, turn it up”.
The one minor disappointment is that the Period 100 doesn’t help Dolby Atmos or spatial audio. Should you’re a house cinema fan who actually needs Atmos you then’ll must pay a bit extra for options such because the Apple HomePod or the high-end Period 300. However, in the event you’re simply on the lookout for a compact, high-quality speaker with wi-fi and help for AirPlay, then the Period 100 delivers the products at a lower cost than most of its AirPlay rivals.
Sonos Roam 2
Value When Reviewed:
$179 (decreased to $143)
Sonos’ Roam needs to be the smallest and most transportable AirPlay 2 speaker we’ve seen to this point.
Sonos’s authentic Roam good speaker was launched again in 2021, and it was the most effective transportable audio system we’ve ever seen, offering excellent sound high quality in a extremely compact design that additionally managed to squeeze in helpful options similar to wi-fi charging and even help for Wi-Fi and AirPlay for Apple units. The Roam 2 fine-tunes various options similar to its set-up and tuning course of, and offers extra easy controls.
Obtainable in a wide range of colours–together with pink, inexperienced, blue and plain outdated black and white–the Roam 2 seems similar to its predecessor. It’s 168mm tall, 62mm huge and 60mm deep, and weighs 0.43kg. It’s not pocket-size, however it would match right into a backpack. It has a IP67 ranking water and dirt resistance, so it’s suited to the outside.
There’s no room for a big battery within the compact design, however it ought to final for as much as 10 hours with music at 50% quantity. It wants to face upright for wi-fi charging and the quantity, playback and microphone controls sit on the highest, however you possibly can flip the speaker onto its aspect and lay it flat. A USB-C port on the again can be utilized for charging too.
Roam 2 helps Bluetooth 5.2 and now has separate buttons for Energy and Bluetooth pairing, that are simpler to make use of than the fiddly multi-function button on the unique Roam. You may press the Bluetooth button to pair by way of Bluetooth, however it’s essential to obtain the Sonos app for iOS in an effort to set the speaker up correctly. We encountered issues getting the speaker related to our Wi-Fi community and needed to spend time altering the Wi-Fi settings. However, as soon as that was completed, the Roam 2 labored rather well. Fortunate its help for AirPlay made connecting it to extra Apple units easy.
The Roam 2 gives nice sound high quality for such a compact speaker, particularly over a Wi-Fi connection. It did job with Sturgill Simpson’s Sing Alongside, laying down the grinding, fuzzy guitars that kind the bedrock of the sound. On Billie Eilish’s Dangerous Man it achieved a fairly respectable bass beat for such a small speaker.
Switching to Bluetooth precipitated the sound to lose a bit readability–however that’s a limitation of Bluetooth reasonably than the speaker itself, and the Roam 2 can go head-to-head with any transportable speaker of this dimension and weight. The Roam 2 actually punches above its weight on the subject of sound high quality and its sturdy and light-weight design is nice for out of doors use.
Learn our full
Sonos Roam 2 evaluate
Sonos Period 300
Value When Reviewed:
$449.00 every
Apple has been banging the drum for spatial audio for just a few years now, however Sonos actually took a step ahead with that know-how when it launched the Period 300 in 2023. Appropriately sufficient, it additionally marked a brand new period for the Sonos vary of multi-room audio system, with a completely new design that was at the least eye-catching even when it wasn’t maybe as elegant as Sonos claimed.
Obtainable in black or white, the cumbersome, hourglass design of the Period 300 could be very a lot designed for spatial audio, housing at least six separate speaker drivers, with help for Dolby Atmos when watching movies and video, or listening to spatial audio on Apple Music. There’s one woofer and one tweeter on both sides of the unit, which offer a large stereo soundstage, whereas one other tweeter on the entrance highlights vocals and dialogue, or lead devices. There’s another tweeter on the highest, which is designed to fireplace pontificate the ceiling to assist create a way of top and house when listening to music or video that makes use of Atmos.
Like most Sonos audio system, the Period 300 makes use of dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4GHz/5.0GHz) to hook up with your private home community, and likewise helps AirPlay 2 to be used with Apple units and different AirPlay-compatible audio system. However, in contrast to earlier Sonos audio system, the Period now helps Bluetooth as nicely, in order that it may possibly present a fast and simple wi-fi connection for cellular units and computer systems when required. It’s also possible to purchase an adaptor that gives a wired connection (though it’s annoying that this prices an additional $19/£19, given the speaker’s hefty $449/£449 price ticket).
The Period 300 can earn its preserve, although. The Dolby Atmos help works rather well on the opening scene of Blade Runner, creating an actual sense of motion because the hovercar flies over the Los Angeles skyline, and there’s a satisfying bass rumble to the bursts of steam and flame that erupts into the air.
It does job with spatial audio on Apple Music too, particularly with Ringo’s deft percussion on the Atmos mixture of Come Collectively by the Beatles. The bongos skip flippantly via the air and the bass guitar glides ahead with a swaying, sinuous rhythm. There’s actual weight behind the guitar riff that leads into the refrain, however the Period 300 can nonetheless select gentler particulars such because the shimmering cymbals and rhythmic keyboards. Admittedly, it’s one of many costlier AirPlay audio system at the moment out there, however the highly effective and atmospheric sound of the Period 300, and help for Dolby Atmos, make it various to costlier soundbar techniques for music and watching video.
Audio Professional A15
Value When Reviewed:
$450
If you need one thing highly effective that may additionally enterprise open air often, then the A15 from Audio Professional is a very good possibility. It’s barely costlier than Apple’s HomePod, however its transportable design and connectivity options make it much more versatile than the HomePod (there’s additionally a smaller mannequin, referred to as the A10 which prices simply $250/£149 however isn’t transportable because it lacks an inner battery).
The A15 is sort of giant, measuring 8.1 x 11.2 x 5.3 inches (206 x 286 x 137mm), and weighing in at a reasonably hefty 2.2lb (3.4kg). Nevertheless, it’s nonetheless gentle sufficient to hold from room to room, or out into the backyard when the summer time comes alongside, and there’s a bass port on the again of the speaker that doubles up as a deal with so as to shortly choose it and head open air while you need to.
The good cloth cowl can be rated IPX2 for water resistance, to make sure that it may possibly deal with the occasional burst of rain. Battery life is nice too, lasting for eight hours at full blast, or 11 hours at 50% quantity. The A15 helps dual-band Wi-Fi with AirPlay 2 for Apple units, Google Forged for our Android buddies, in addition to Bluetooth and a 3.5mm connector for wired audio.
You’ll must obtain the Audio Professional app to attach the A15 to your Wi-Fi community, however after that it really works similar to every other AirPlay speaker, permitting you to play any music or video out of your Apple units. It sounds nice too, with the massive speaker offering a agency, pulsing bass on Low’s Lower. There’s an icy readability to the haunting metal guitar, but additionally heat too, on singer Alan Sparhawk’s softly spoken vocals. And, in the event you actually need to go to city at party-time, the A15 even has a connector for hooking it as much as an exterior sub-woofer too.
Edifier S1000W
Value When Reviewed:
$449.99
Most AirPlay audio system have a compact, all-in-one design, similar to Apple’s HomePod. Nevertheless, these compact audio system don’t present excellent stereo separation, and there are various individuals who might have a correct two-piece (2.0) speaker system that basically reveals how stereo audio is supposed to sound. Edifier’s S1000W is an effective stereo system for musicians who’re recording their very own songs, or for podcasting or video-editing that includes audio enhancing work. And, after all, it sounds nice for simply listening to your favourite music too.
The 2-piece S1000W prices $449.99/£399.99 – which is lots cheaper than shopping for two HomePods and utilizing them for stereo. The 2 audio system are solidly constructed, with a beautiful wooden end, which additionally helps to cut back vibrations that may have an effect on the sound high quality. They stand 7.8 x 13.6 x 11.6 inches (345 x 198 x 295mm), so that they want a pretty big desk or shelf, however we have been in a position to stand them on both aspect of our workplace iMac’s display with out an excessive amount of bother, so that they’re nicely suited to audio work for musicians or different content material creators.
All of the controls are situated on the right-hand speaker, which incorporates a powerful variety of each wired and wi-fi enter choices. There are 3.5mm, RCA, optical, and coaxial connectors for units similar to CD gamers or turntables, and you may shortly change between inputs utilizing the distant management included within the field. And, for wi-fi audio, the S1000W additionally helps Bluetooth, dual-band Wi-Fi, and AirPlay 2 for streaming from Apple units. The S1000W offers a thumping 120W complete output, and I used to be solely in a position to set the quantity degree to round 50% earlier than I began to fret about annoying the neighbors. And it’s not simply loud – the sound high quality is nice too, with the sturdy audio system offering a agency, rhythmic bass when enjoying Billie Elish’s Dangerous Man, mixed with clear, exact vocals and better frequencies.
Denon Dwelling 550
Value When Reviewed:
$649
Apple could be very eager on getting folks to purchase two of the second-gen HomePods in an effort to use them for stereo music, or for watching movies and movies which have a soundtrack that makes use of the Dolby Atmos encompass sound format. That’s not the one possibility for movie buffs, although, and there are many soundbars that help each AirPlay 2 and Dolby Atmos, together with the Denon Dwelling 550.
The Dwelling 550 prices $649 within the US, which is barely costlier than a pair of HomePods ($598), however it’s much more versatile on the subject of connecting to non-Apple units and becoming into a bigger house leisure system. And, within the UK, the value is £599 (in comparison with £598 for 2 HomePods).
As talked about, the Dwelling 550 helps dual-band wi-fi with help for AirPlay 2, but additionally consists of Ethernet for wired networks too, together with Bluetooth and an ordinary 3.5mm connector for non-Apple units. It has two 4K HDMI ports for connecting to a TV, and an optical audio connector for older TVs that don’t help HDMI.
The Denon app lets you join the Dwelling 550 to your community for AirPlay streaming, or you need to use the distant management that’s included within the field to shortly change between AirPlay, Bluetooth and different audio sources.
The big soundbar – 25.95 x 2.95 x 4.72 inches (650 x 120 x 75mm) – produces an equally giant sound, with deep, pulsing bass on The Orb’s Prime Evil, and a nervous, manic power on the rattling percussion. And, switching into Dolby Atmos mode, it really works a deal with on the opening scene of Blade Runner, with a dramatic bass rumble on the bursts of flame that leap throughout the Los Angeles skyline. It additionally creates an actual sense of motion as Harrison Ford’s hover-car zooms ahead out of the display and the sound pans easily over to my left-hand aspect.
Bowers & Wilkins Zeppelin
Value When Reviewed:
$799
Bowers & Wilkins’ Zeppelin was a landmark product for Mac customers – and it’s nice to see it again once more.
Initially launched in 2007, the Zeppelin was the primary Hello-Fi-quality speaker system for the iPod, and actually helped to spice up that machine’s credibility amongst audiophile music followers. A number of years later an up to date Zeppelin was additionally one of many first audio system to help Apple’s AirPlay software program for streaming audio over Wi-Fi. Nevertheless, the Zeppelin was left behind when Apple launched AirPlay 2 – with its new help for multi-room music – so it was discontinued just a few years in the past. However now, with little or no fanfare, B&W has launched a brand new model of the Zeppelin that provides help for AirPlay 2, together with various different new options too.
Obtainable in both Midnight Gray or a silvery Pearl Gray, the brand new Zeppelin initially seems similar to its predecessors, with the eye-catching oval design that offers the speaker its title. However on the within, the Zeppelin has been fully redesigned, with a pair of high-frequency tweeters and mid-range woofers situated on both sides of a central sub-woofer, whereas the whole unit is powered by a roof-rattling 240W amplifier.
As talked about, the brand new Zeppelin now helps AirPlay 2, together with Bluetooth and Apple’s AAC codec and the AptX Adaptive codec that’s used on many Android units, and Spotify Join too. My solely minor complaints are that the Zeppelin solely appears to work with 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, and it’s fully reliant on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth for streaming, with no wired inputs for connecting to units similar to a CD participant, or perhaps even an outdated iPod.
The sound high quality, although, is terrific, with the massed harmonies of Queen’s Any person To Love ringing out vivid and clear, and a energetic, ringing tone on Roger Taylor’s shrieking falsetto and crashing cymbals. On the different finish of the spectrum, the Zeppelin delivers the bouncing bass on Dangerous Man by Billie Eilish with a agency, taut sound that instantly will get you tapping your foot. It simply fills the room with sound even at simply 40% of most quantity, so the Zeppelin can be nice for getting the occasion going over Christmas and the New Yr.
It’s a little dear, at $799/£699, however that’s solely barely costlier than Apple’s AirPods Max, and the Zeppelin is definitely higher worth for cash. What’s extra, its room-filling sound and AirPlay 2 help imply you possibly can share its wonderful sound high quality with everybody in your house.
How to decide on an AirPlay speaker
There’s lots to consider when shopping for an AirPlay speaker so be sure to learn this shopping for recommendation earlier than splashing the money.
Music streaming & compatibility
Having your favourite music comply with you round your private home is nice, however standard multi-room audio system typically have vital limitations. Many, for instance, will solely work with a restricted variety of streaming companies which might be constructed into the apps supplied by every producer.
As you would possibly anticipate, most will work with Spotify, whereas Tidal and Deezer additionally get plenty of help. However for some motive, Sonos is among the few producers of multi-room audio system that additionally helps Apple Music. The truth is, some audio system solely present apps for iOS or Android cellular units, which suggests which you could’t even play music from a Mac.
The opposite huge downside with standard audio system up to now was that you’ve got usually had to purchase all of them from one producer when assembling a multi-room setup as a result of rival audio system have been incompatible and wouldn’t work collectively.
AirPlay vs AirPlay 2
The speaker market modified dramatically in 2018 with the discharge of Apple’s up to date AirPlay 2 software program. Launched to coincide with the unique HomePod launch, AirPlay 2 has additionally been licensed to various well-known producers, which suggests there’s now a variety of suitable audio system out there. The truth is, each mannequin in our high 10 works with AirPlay 2.
The primary model of AirPlay, launched again in 2010, was like a souped-up model of Bluetooth, permitting you to stream audio from any app in your Mac or iOS units to any AirPlay-compatible speaker and liberating you from reliance on the producer’s apps. AirPlay additionally makes use of a Wi-Fi connection, which suggests a better bandwidth than Bluetooth and higher sound high quality – to not point out longer vary.
The simplicity and flexibility of AirPlay is nice, however – like Bluetooth – its authentic model was solely designed to work with one speaker at a time. AirPlay 2 takes Apple into the multi-room market, with the flexibility to stream music to a number of audio system in several rooms. (Alternatively, you possibly can
create a HomePods stereo pair in the identical room.)
However the true game-changer with AirPlay 2 was interoperability, the flexibility to hyperlink collectively audio system from totally different producers for the very first time. This implies you possibly can combine and match audio system round your private home – choosing, as an example, a HomePod as your major living-room speaker, a Sonos within the bed room, and a conveyable speaker for drinks within the backyard – and have all of them linked as much as play music concurrently.
Which model of AirPlay is supported?
The necessary factor to recollect is that there at the moment are two kinds of AirPlay speaker. Some older fashions will use the unique model of AirPlay – which is restricted to streaming music to at least one speaker at a time – however new audio system (and positively all of the audio system on this article) deal with AirPlay 2. Some may have the AirPlay brand on the packaging, however this doesn’t specify whether or not it’s AirPlay or AirPlay 2. It’s due to this fact necessary to verify which model is supported by any speaker earlier than shopping for.
On condition that AirPlay 2 has been round for 3 years, it might be shocking to see a producer launch an AirPlay 1 speaker proper now, however it doesn’t damage to verify. You don’t need to get caught out.
It’s additionally price mentioning that some older AirPlay audio system may be upgraded to work with AirPlay 2 as nicely. Libratone’s new Zipp 2 makes use of AirPlay 2, however it’s potential to obtain a software program replace for the older first-generation Zipp audio system that provides help for AirPlay 2. Sadly, that’s not the case with all AirPlay audio system, and a few fashions are caught with fundamental AirPlay.
Sound High quality vs Value
The truth that Apple licenses each AirPlay and AirPlay 2 to different producers has different benefits too. Particularly, the choice to select from a variety of (typically lower-cost) third-party audio system from corporations like Sonos and Ikea.
On the different excessive, some actually costly hi-fi techniques within the pipeline provide AirPlay 2 help for audiophiles and residential cinema buffs. These choices provide you with flexibility: you possibly can spend closely on a very high-quality speaker in your front room, for instance, whereas choosing a cheaper mannequin within the kitchen.
Indoors and Outside
Some producers present extra specialised audio system too, similar to soundbars that you need to use along with your TV, or sub-woofers that may present a bass increase for events, or for sound results when watching movies.
Some even embody rechargeable batteries and light-weight, transportable designs so you possibly can choose them up and carry them from room to room – which is definitely cheaper than shopping for a brand new speaker for every room – or take them out into the backyard for a barbecue.
Connectivity
Connectivity is one other key challenge. The HomePod has been criticised for counting on Wi-Fi for streaming, with no possibility for fast and simple Bluetooth streaming for Android and different non-Apple units. It doesn’t have a 3.5mm audio connector both, which might will let you use it with a CD participant or different audio units.
Luckily, many AirPlay and AirPlay 2 audio system present a higher vary of connectivity, permitting you to play music from a wider vary of units than the HomePod. Sonos has even introduced it is going to be releasing an AirPlay 2 amplifier quickly that may kind the centrepiece of a severe house leisure system.
In different phrases, AirPlay 2 is right here to remain.